BYU volleyball: Cougars swept by 49ers

LONG BEACH, Calif.  In a contest to determine the No. 1 team in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Standings, the No. 3 BYU men's volleyball team (17-3, 12-3) fell to No. 4 Long Beach

State (18-3, 13-2) in three sets Thursday, 30-23, 30-28, 30-27, and will look to even the score against the 49ers tonight.

Outside hitters Andrew Stewart and Ivan Perez had recorded double-digit kills in the match with 12 and 10, respectively. However, as a team the Cougars were out-hit in total kills at 36-54 and in attack percentage at .282 to .237.

Long Beach State's Paul Lotman and Dean Bittner had 18 kills apiece to lead all hitters. The home team also had eight service aces to BYU's none. Defensively, the 49ers tallied 6.5 total team blocks to the Cougars 5.5.

The two teams will meet again tonight at 8 p.m. MDT at the Walter Pyramid in Long Beach, Calif.